THE drawn-out battle between a group of East Toowoomba residents and the developer of a proposed fast-food precinct on Cohoe St will finally go to court on Monday.

A small consortium of concerned residents formed the Friends of the Toowoomba Range group almost a year ago to fight council's approval of the Eastside Village development.

After months of self-funded traffic studies, protests and vital fundraising to finance the expensive legal battle, leader Rev. Kate Powell is convinced she has a strong case to put forward to the Planning and Environment Court.

But it will be expensive - especially if the group loses the fight and is forced to pay legal costs for the other party.

An artist's impression of Eastside Village.

Toowoomba Regional Council remains locked in on the side of the developer, JM Kelly Group.

"The expert reports show very clearly that council's own planning officers fell well-short of the mark," Rev. Powell said.

"This is a culmination of almost a year's work, and we have been encouraged by literally hundreds of people in Toowoomba and beyond.

"But the costs are still extraordinary.

"The Friends of the Toowoomba Range is very grateful for the overwhelming public support it has received for its campaign, and is still appealing for further donations to help fund the trial, estimated to cost $80,000 to $100,000."

The current plan for the site includes installing a "half traffic light" for turning traffic and a "half pedestrian crossing".

"I still can't believe that the Department of Transport and Main Roads has not realised it won't work," Rev. Powell said.

The judge who will preside over the five-day court battle, and the barristers for both sides, visited the development site yesterday.

Mayor Paul Antonio would not make any comment until legal proceedings were finished.